As networking and automation expands in business and organizations, one of the most important new technical capabilities in today's modern network computing is the ability for organizations to establish access to (host) networks via the Internet and other network service providers. In essence, organizations are allowing “connectivity” from their Local Area Network (LAN) from the Internet and any other public network, which can be accessed from the Internet. Many public corporations, private corporations, state and federal government, including the Department Of Defense, have established and made available a host LAN connection login access for employees from almost any place in the world. As an example, it would be very common for an employee working at home, to access the Internet and use the Internet to login to the host LAN made available by their employer. Once the individual user is granted login access to the host LAN, then it may be very possible for that user to have complete (i.e., 100%) access to that organization's Wide Area Network (WAN), or to probe the LAN, in an attempt to gain access to the remaining WAN.
Another important issue in today's modern computing environment is that individuals/employees/associates are provided mobile lap top personal computers (PCs), which are just as powerful, if not more powerful, than many standard desktop office computers. These lap top PCs may be used by individuals/employees/associates, while they are physically inside a facility accessing a host LAN and also while they are outside a facility to remotely access the host LAN via the Internet.
Because lap top PCs are becoming smaller and more powerful, along with many other computing devices, the theft of these lap top PCs and other computing devices is becoming much more common.
Another very important issue/problem is that the “cracking” of network system names and passwords to host LANs has now become a daily problem. Network system names and passwords can be determined using network tools that probe a network, while the network is continuously broadcasting information throughout the network domain. When the broadcast information is obtained, additional programs (i.e., tools) can be used to obtain an actual password to a networked computer. System names and passwords can also be obtained by “social engineering”, such as an individual observing another individual user while they actually login and access the host LAN. Alternatively, an individual user may be provided an authorized system name and password to accomplish a certain task, but then that system name and password are not changed or deleted after the task is completed, so the individual user still has access using this system name and password.
Because of the problems described in the previous paragraphs, a new technology (i.e., utility) is needed, that has the ability to perform a network user login authentication, in order to insure the security of the (host) LAN during the time the user attempts to login and gain access to the (host) LAN.